Science Museum Group
Curator of Art
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Curator of Art
Can you help us communicate ideas that sit at the intersection of art and science, helping audiences see the world in new ways?
About us
At the Science Museum, art has always played a significant role in how we explore science, technology, and society. From our origins in the Great Exhibition of 1851 through to our contemporary commissions, we hold art and science in active dialogue across our galleries, exhibitions, research, and public programme.
Our Collections team stewards and expands a broad range of objects across the museum, ensuring they are understood, preserved, and shared with audiences in meaningful ways.
We are now looking for an Art Curator to join us on a fixed term basis until September 2027. This is a full-time role (35 hours per week), based on site at the Science Museum, London, with hybrid working available.
Occasional travel to other SMG sites, including the Science and Innovation Park near Swindon, may be required, along with limited international travel.
About the role
As Art Curator, you will take curatorial responsibility for the Science Museum's Art Collection, comprising over 15,000 objects ranging from the 1500s to the present day. This includes paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture, kinetic works, and digital and contemporary art.
You will play a central role in researching, interpreting, and developing the collection, ensuring it remains visible, relevant, and accessible to audiences both onsite and online. You will work across acquisitions, loans, cataloguing, digitisation, and interpretation, helping shape how the collection is understood and used across the organisation.
Alongside collections management, you will contribute to exhibitions, commissions, and public programming, working closely with curators, conservators, technicians, and external partners. You will also chair the SMG Art Working Group and act as a key advocate for the collection internally and externally, including engagement with artists, researchers, and wider professional networks.
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This is a practical curatorial role that combines collections stewardship, research, interpretation, and public engagement.
About you
- You will bring experience of working with art collections in a museum or gallery environment, including contemporary and/or digital art.
- You will be experienced in handling curatorial research, interpretation, and collections management, and comfortable working with artists and commissioning processes.
- You will be able to communicate art and ideas clearly to a range of audiences, including through talks, writing, exhibitions, and digital content.
- You will also be experienced in building strong working relationships across internal teams and external partners.
- You will be organised, able to adjust to changing priorities, and able to manage multiple priorities in a changing environment, while maintaining a high level of attention to detail.
- You will be comfortable working independently, while contributing to a collaborative and inclusive team culture.
Don't feel you meet all the criteria? We welcome you to apply even if your experience doesn't match directly. With your transferable skills, you could be the right candidate for this, or other opportunities that we have.
Applying
View the Vacancy Information Pack listed under 'Attachments' on the vacancy listing on our website for more details about the role and the application process, or click 'Apply Online' to submit an application.
What we offer
Working with a world-leading museum group that offers access to truly unique environments and collections, you'll benefit from the perks listed below, as well as full support for life events such as parental and adoption leave, sickness, and career breaks.
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- Meaningful work. We're a mission-led organisation where the work you do supports us in Inspiring Futures.
- Career growth. We offer enhanced support with personal and professional development.
- Work/life balance. We offer 27 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays, along with flexible policies which support you and your home life.
- All our colleagues can access an employee assistance programme, and other wellbeing support.
- Colleague networks. Our colleague-led networks are an informal forum for colleagues to come together to discuss topics of shared interest and lived experience. They create a space for people to exchange ideas, discuss best practice, socialise and build a sense of bhikkhuni.
- Enhanced contributory pension. To support you in saving for the future.
- Interest-free loans. When you need a little extra cash for life events or home improvements.
- Great discounts. Free entry to exhibitions, discounts in our shops, cafes, and access to other museums in the NMDC network.
Open for All is one of the Science Museum Group's five core values and sets out our important aspiration to be a place for everyone. We are working hard to understand our organisation better and to develop a culture that recognises and values different backgrounds, mindsets, skills, experience, knowledge, and expertise. By having greater diversity, we believe that we will be a stronger and better organisation, capable to continue to Inspire Futures.
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